On Sunday (Aug. 25) at Hippodrome 3R, the undefeated Whitecookie posted his sixth consecutive triumph, as he recorded an easy, three-length triumph in a $7,500 division of the Future Stars Series.
After having started from Post 4 in Race 3, which was the first of two divisions of the Future Stars for two-year-old pacing colts, Whitecookie went right to the lead for owner/trainer/driver Marie Claude Auger of Trois-Rivieres.
Whitecookie cut the fractions in :28.1, :58.1 and 1:28.1 and then pulled away in the stretch to win in a lifetime-best clocking of 1:57. The pocket-sitting Kinnder Big Boss (who was driven by Pierre Luc Roy) finished second and Retour Au Jeu (Stephane Gendron) was third under the wire.
Sired by Windfall Blue Chip, Whitecookie will look to make a clean sweep of the Future Stars Series, as he will headline the $55,000 final that will be contested on Sunday, September 8. Whitecookie paid $2.60 to win.
Whitecookie, pictured victorious at Hippodrome 3R on August 25, 2019.
The second colt division (Race 6) saw Eclat De Rire and driver Stephane Gendron post a gate-to-wire victory, as they notched an open-lengths win in a lifetime-best 1:59.4. HP Beach Dragon (Stephane Brosseau) finished second off of a pocket tip and Beach Bayama (Marc Belanger) finished third.
The pillar-to-post victory was the second win from four lifetime starts for Eclat De Rire, who is trained by Maxime Velaye for owner/breeder Guy Corbeil of Mirabel. Eclat De Rire paid $2.90 to win as the race favourite.
It looked like the front end was the place to be Sunday until Race 7, a $10,000 Future Stars division for pacing fillies that housed a field of nine. Lotus Sena and driver Pascal Berube led the field through fractions (:28.4, 1:01, 1:31.1), but that was before driver Stephane Gendron pulled the right line on SOS Cupcake.
SOS Cupcake came after Lotus Sena and passed her by the top of the stretch. SOS Cupcake then went on to win by two and three-quarter lengths in 2:01.4. Lotus Sena finished second with Acaena De Chakrika (Stephane Brosseau) third. The victory was a maiden breaker for SOS Cupcake, who is a daughter of Shanghai Phil that recently moved the stable of trainer Francis Richard.
SOS Cupcake is owned by the Francis Richard Stable, Inc., Auclair-Gaston Bibeau Farm and Dr. John Bradbury. She paid $4.10 to win as the favourite.
Track Notes: Five of the ten races Sunday saw horses score lifetime marks as the H3R track continues to be in perfect shape. Drivers Stephane Gendron and Stephane Brosseau each scored driving doubles. Live racing resumes at H3R next Friday, August 30. It will be the last Friday night race card of the season. First race post time is 7:00 pm. For more information, visit www.quebecjockeyclub.com.
To view the harness racing results for Sunday at H3R, click the following link: Sunday Results – Hippodrome 3R.
(With files from the Quebec Jockey Club)